How not to be rude in Japan: Japanese manners and etiquette

Izakaya in Tokyo, Japan

What I love about Japan is how friendly the people are to visitors. As a traveler, it is a great idea to know about simple Japanese manners and etiquette. Respecting the local culture and customs is something you should try to practice, no matter what country you may visit. This list may seem intimating to first time visitors to Japan, but the list is not set in stone. While some of these social customs are expected during business situations, many …

Read more

Going to Seoul? 7 Itaewon restaurants that you should not miss

Itaewon packed on a busy Saturday night

Itaewon, a multicultural and diverse neighborhood of Seoul, is home to many must try international restaurants that serve everything from BBQ to burgers. All over Itaewon, you can find the cuisine of many countries including Mexico, United States, Turkey, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Spain, India, and more. Many of the dishes served here are unique to Itaewon and not widely available anywhere else in Korea. For many years, Koreans avoided Itaewon mostly because it was a seedy area filled with overpriced …

Read more

Copper Top BBQ off Highway 395 in Big Pine, California

Smokers out front of Copper Top BBQ

Copper Top BBQ, off Highway 395 in Big Pine, CA, is a BBQ restaurant known for its grilled and smoked meats, such as tri-tip and pulled pork. The restaurant gained notoriety when it was first in Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. I am familiar with Big Pine as I often drive along Highway 395 to Mammoth Lakes for some of the best snowboarding and fishing in the county. The highway passes through some of …

Read more

Iron Chef Michael Symon’s Lolita restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio

Roasted Pork Belly Sandwich, Lolita, Cleveland

Being a Food Network nerd, I was excited to learn about Iron Chef Michael Symon’s Lolita restaurant in the Tremont neighborhood near downtown Cleveland. Tremont is the “go to” place for food in Cleveland. The historic area is trendy and hipster with a small town feeling thanks to many open green spaces, large trees, and more churches than I count on both hands. In 1997, Michael Symon opened Lola at this location. The restaurant received rave reviews and was even …

Read more

12 free museums in London that you should not miss

River Thames at sunset

London is not a cheap city for tourists. Luckily, there many interesting and free museums in London that allow visitors to learn about the history and culture of England without breaking the bank. There are many interesting and free museums all across London for you to choose from whether you want to see famous pieces of art, historical documents, statues, Egyptian mummies, or children’s books. Here is a list of 12 free museums in London that you should not miss: …

Read more

How you can avoid getting a middle seat on your next flight

How to avoid being stuck with a middle seat

The dreaded middle seat on an airplane. I have nightmares about them and you probably do too. Whenever I board a plane, I always wonder about these people stuck in middle seats. I will show you how to avoid being one of these people. Book early This one is a given. Obviously, the earlier you book, the more seats will be available for you to pick. Everyone has their favorite spot on the plane to sit. I like sitting in …

Read more

Brunch at Gastown’s Tuc Craft Kitchen in downtown Vancouver (Closed)

Irish Stew Skillet with lamb and grass fed beef at Tuc Craft Kitchen, Vancouver

If you are looking for a casual place in downtown Vancouver’s Gastown to have weekend brunch and great drinks, then you should stop by Tuc Craft Kitchen. The restaurant is located on West Cordova Street, just south of Water Street. If you aren’t familiar with Gastown, the neighborhood is one of the oldest and quirkiest in Vancouver. Gastown is home to more restaurants and bars than you can count. Note: In 2020, Tuc Craft Kitchen closed. Tuc Craft Kitchen Menu …

Read more

10 really cool facts about Amsterdam you might not know about

Did you know that there are more bikes in Amsterdam than people?

Here are some cool facts about Amsterdam that you might not know. Facts about bikes, canals, museums, and single tulip bulbs that once cost over $200,000. 1 – Amsterdam lies below sea level Amsterdam, and even half of the Netherlands, lies below sea level. The city, built upon lakes, swamps, and peat, is located about 6.5 feet (2 meters) below sea level. The lowest point in Amsterdam is a whopping 21.9 feet (6.7 meters) below sea level. An extensive network …

Read more

Brunch at Jack Flaps in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood

This colorful and beautifully presented dish is the Cuyahoga Benedict

While on my flight to Cleveland, a local recommended that I eat breakfast at Jack Flaps, located in the historic Ohio City neighborhood. On the way to my hotel, my Uber driver once again recommended me to Jack Flaps. Being new to the Cleveland breakfast scene, I decided to trust the wisdom of the locals. After dropping my bags off at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel I headed over to Jack Flaps, located about ten minutes southwest of downtown Cleveland. The …

Read more

My first poutine at Fritz European Fry House in Vancouver

Medium poutine topped with MTL smoked meat

Vancouver may not be as well known for poutine as Montreal, but places like Fritz European Fry House off Granville Street still know how to make poutine. If you don’t know what poutine is, take some fries, gravy, and cheese and mix it. Where I live in California, poutine is the new and cool thing to eat. You can find it on the menu of almost every gastropub. Even with its popularity, I still never tried it. I’ve had all …

Read more